Stamford High School guard arraigned on sexual assault and risk of injury charges

Jeff Morganteen, Staff Writer

Published 10:19 pm, Monday, April 12, 2010

STAMFORD -- The 52-year-old Stamford High School security guard accusing of inappropriately contacting a 15-year-old student and paying her for underwear was arraigned Monday.

Pasquale "Pat" Mecca declined to comment after appearing at state Superior Court in Stamford wearing a black polo shirt and jeans. He was assigned a public defender after he appeared without a private lawyer. His next court date is May 5.

Mecca is accused of paying a girl for her underwear at least three times, on and off of school property, police said. The sexual assault charge stems from a single instance of improper contact to which Mecca admitted to in a sworn statement, police said.

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Police began investigating Mecca when the guardian of the 15-year-old girl questioned her about having a large amount of cash. Investigators took statements from the girl, her guardian and Mecca, who admitted he bought girl's underwear and had improper physical contact with her on at least one occasion.

Court papers reveal some items seized during a police search of Mecca's home after he was arrested March 29 and charged with three felony counts of risk of injury to a minor and a single count of fourth-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor.

Officers recovered six pairs of women's underwear and one bra from the garbage at Mecca's Diaz Street apartment after he cooperated with investigators and told them where to find them, according to police investigators and an inventory of seized items.

Police Sgt. Anthony Lupinacci said officers stationed at Stamford High School on Strawberry Hill Avenue have been interviewing several female students since arresting Mecca, but so far, no new charges have been filed against him.

Mecca has been suspended from his job and is not allowed on Board of Education property. His suspension is subject to an investigation by the school district, school district officials have said.

He became a school district employee in 2001, working mostly as a Stamford High security guard except for 2003, when he was a teacher's aide at Scofield Magnet Middle School.

Mecca has no record of prior discipline at Stamford High, officials said.

Staff Writer Jeff Morganteen can be reached at jeff.morganteen@scni.com or 203-964-2215.